Global Summit – Sydney

I’m at the Global Summit in Sydney – the wireless network is up and running (yeah) and the ballroom is filling up – looks like around 200 people (from 11 countries).

I’m finding it a rather interesting experience – I worked here (ShangriLa Hotel) for 18 months when it was the ANA Hotel as part of the management pre-opening team and then as Manager on Duty for 12 months…. but that was about…oohhh 14 years ago now… It feels like coming home after being away for a long time…. I know every nook and cranny of the place – including the ghost of the ballroom (wonder if he’ll do anything today? – let’s hope not… he’s usually a little destructive!)

Looks like being an interesting couple of days – although I can only attend today (workload commitments) – just feels funny in a 5-star hotel ballroom – let’s see what that does to the informal networking dialogues…

hmm – the opening has just required us to stand and sing the national anthem… don’t think I’ve been to a conference before where this is expected… or is this something to do with a national image??

Now we have Clarence – the community education officer from the Botanical Gardens the traditional owners of the land – we are acknowledging the ancestral spirits of this area and we will walk lightly on their territory…. feels so much more appropriate and meaningful than the national anthem…(particularly for the international delegates!).